Month and a half on, textbooks still elude govt junior colleges

Hyderabad: Almost one and half months have passed since the junior colleges have re-opened across Telangana, but textbooks are still unavailable in all most all government-run institutions. It has become a major cause of concern for teachers and parents alike for the lost academics.

Junior college lecturers point out the situation is such they have asked students to borrow books from previous batches. About 45 lakh books are needed for about nine lakh students registered under the Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE).

Be it Telugu or English medium, sufficient books have not yet been distributed. There is a dire scarcity of English textbooks in the colleges; only 70 percent of textbooks has been transported to the District Education Officers (DEOs) but till date. No college has received textbooks. In a few private colleges there is need of English textbooks.

Even the textbooks are not available in the market.But surprisingly, all government schools have received textbooks, unlike every year they face a lot problems.

Usually the government colleges get free books one or two days ahead of the academic year, but this year they have not been supplied so far.

Said a lecturer of a government junior college in Kukatpally, ‘in June we were told that, apart from English textbooks, we would receive all textbooks on time. For the first year Inter students the content of English textbooks has been changed. This would take mor time. Also. we have not received other books.

Dr. P Madhusudhan Reddy, president, Telangana Government Junior Lecturers’ Association, said, “As every year, printing of textbooks starts in May, but this year due to delay in getting white paper (as white paper costs have increased) and the printing started in the last week of June. Logistics is a major problem, as the Education department is supposed to supply books in colleges directly. Till date hardly a few districts headquarters received; that too in partial mode. Books have been handed over to DEO but due to fund crunch they are unable to transport them to the colleges. Sufferers are students, as they are unable to follow lessons without textbooks.”

Why there is no clarity from the Telugu Akademi? Many representations have been given to TSBIE, but we have not received any response. If we don’t receive books at least by the first week of August lectures won’t be able to complete the portion (as many exams are about to start) due to lack of books, he added.

According to reliable sources, book printing crisis began last year when the department’s initial tenders for paper supply found no bidders. Amid the delays, the cost of paper shot up. The new bidder took a long time to supply. Even this year, because of the high cost of paper, procurement and production